Life Satisfaction and Help Needs in Post-stroke Patients

• Published in: Nihon Rōnen Igakkai zasshi Vol. 36; no. 3; pp. 199 - 205
• Main Author: Saotome, Ikuko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Japanese
• Published: Japan The Japan Geriatrics Society 1999
• Subjects: Cerebrovascular Disorders - rehabilitation; Family; Female; Help needs; Humans; Japan; Male; Middle Aged; Needs Assessment; Patient Satisfaction; Quality of life; Rehabilitation; Stroke; Surveys and Questionnaires; Japan
• ISSN: 0300-9173
• DOI: 10.3143/geriatrics.36.199

The purpose of this study was to investigate the life satisfaction and the help needs in post-stroke patients. A totaled 109 post-stroke patients were discharged from the rehabilitation ward of the Dokkyo University Hospital during two years from April 1995 to March 1997. The postal questionnaire was sent to 104 patients of them. The questionnaire was composed of two parts, one for the patients and one for their family members. The patients were asked about perceived improvement after discharge, outdoor activities, locomotor activities, and life satisfaction with their present state. Life satisfaction was assessed by using a visual analogue scale (VAS). The family members were asked about objective improvement of the patients after their discharge and their help needs. The distribution of the patients' life satisfaction showed a peak at around 50% by the VAS. While the perceived improvement and life satisfaction showed a significantly positive correlation, 9 patients (15%) recognized some improvement but marked their life satisfaction less than 50%. In help needs assessment, most family members classified them at a level of situational dependence or more. Only three cases were classified as dependence on individuals other than their family such as home help, which may suggest lack of social resources in their community. Logistic regression analysis revealed perceived improvement, going outdoors and age as significant adherent factors of life satisfaction, and objective improvement and age as those of help needs. Statistical analysis revealed a close association between perceived improvement and life satisfaction which have been suggested useful for QOL evaluation, but they must be interpreted as independent indicators.